Interview with Caliban

With 16+ years under their belts, Germany’s Caliban are by no means rookies to the metal circuit. Still they have maintained a fresh approach to every new album and will take some people by surprise with their upcoming album named Ghost Empire.

Andreas Dörner (vocals) talks about his carreer and the story behind Ghost Empire...

Metalship : Hello Andy!
Let me start with a rather classic question: can you present your band for those who didn't know you yet?

We're known by the name Caliban and we're 5 guys from Germany and we're playing some kind of Metalcore. Ghost Empire is our 9th Album and we're around for almost 16 years. Our music is heavy, aggressive, brutal, melodic and dark. For a full biography check our Homepage www.calibanmetal.com

Metalship : Ghost Empire will be released via Century Media, like your previous albums. Have you ever think about working with another label?

No need to so far, we have a very good relationship with our label and we're very happy to be a part of the Century Media Family!!!

Metalship : Where does the name of Ghost Empire? What does it mean for you?

The title is the result, the conclusion of all the songs on the record. The topics on "Ghost Empire" are very destructive and dark...it's all about human failures, abysses, fears, suffering and destruction.

Metalship : What was the recording process like for the album?

The whole writing and preproduction time was about 7 - 8 month and it took us about 3 month to record "Ghost Empire". Marc started to collect his first ideas around march, all in cooperation with our Producer Benny Richter. They collected and recorded tons of parts and songs and in the end we chose the 13 best for the album. After that i (Andy) went to the studio to work on the lyrics for the songs. We recorded everything backwards, so we recorded the vocals first and then the guitars, bass and drums. We did this to have the opportunity to make some changes in the melody parts for example, when we decided to change something in the singing lines...it was a perfect way to record an album.

Metalship : When I listen Ghost Empire, I don’t feel the same as when I listen to your previous albums. Your music is now so refreshing and different. What contributes for that? How would you compare it to I Am Nemesis?

"Ghost Empire" is in the vein of "I am Nemesis", but with even more details and little surprises. The sound is improved and more aggressive then before. Marc, Benny and our sound engineer used a lot of different sounds to have the perfect sound for each song. It was a long and exhausting way, but in the end it was worse it : )

Metalship : What song is the song people HAVE to check out if they want the best idea of what Ghost Empire is all about?

"King", "I am Ghost", "My Vertigo", "Devil's Night".

Metalship : "nebeL" is your first song sung entirely in German, can you tell us more about it?

We're always looking for something special for our records and "nebeL" is one of it on "Ghost Empire". I liked "Dein R3.ich" a lot and it felt good to sing in German. So we tried to have a full song in German. "nebeL" is one of my favorite songs on the record and i really like the chorus which was done by BastBasti from Callejon.

Metalship : "yOUR Song" is going to be the new Caliban's Anthem! What were the plans with this song?

After almost 16 years of Caliban we thought that it's about time to say thank you in a special way, so we wrote this song to say thank you to all our fans and friends, to all who supported us all the years and helped us to be what we are right now...i hope the people will like it ; )

Metalship : Can you tell us the story of your collaboration with Matt Heafy (Trivium) on "Falling Downwards"?

We are friends for a very long time now and Matt was, or maybe still is, a great Caliban Fan ; )
We played a couple shows together and had always a good time talking about the old days for example...and then we went on tour together in 2013 and had a great time...when we decided to work with guest singers, Matts name came up very fast and so we just asked him on the "Elbriot Festival" and he said "of course, i would be honored".

Metalship : Can we expect to see you in France?

I really hope so, but i have no idea when at the moment. Maybe something around May or June!?

Metalship : What represent the fact of being on stage for you? Is it the best part for a musician?

It's the most important part, at least for myself. I love the stage, way more then being in the studio.

Metalship : Playing your older material alongside the new one, do you feel like you'd want to change something in the older songs?

Never! We like the songs how they are. Of course they sound different and not that modern, but they are still Caliban and they still mosh as hell ; )

Metalship : If we're talking about touring, what's the most interesting incidents that have happened with you on tour?

It's maybe not the most interesting incident, but it was strange. I'm talking about 9/11. We've been on a US Tour at this time and after a week of touring it happened. We slept at a friends house and he woke us up, he was totally abstracted and turned on the TV and showed us the news...the "Twin Towers" were just attacked...it was a shock for everyone...we had to cancel the rest of the tour of course and we didn't knew if we get the chance to fly back home on time...that was very important for me, because i had to get back to work...it was a strange trip, but we made it back home safe and sound...

Metalship : In regards to your background, your influences; which bands have formed you as a musician?

I was a lot into bands like Metallica, Guns n Roses, Machine Head, Meshugga, Korn, Biohazard, Earth Crisis, Chokehold, Unbroken...a lot of bands and i think everything forms you as a musician, not just bands you're listening to.

Metalship : Thank you guys for your precious time, do you have any last words you'd like to send out to the Metalship readers?

Merci beaucoup everyone for reading this and your great support you give us!!! I hope you'll like "Ghost Empire" like we do. Hope to see you guys on the road someday!!!
Take care and keep the mosh alive,
Andy.

Did you know ?
During Amon Amarth's first US headline tour in 2007, in middle of their setlist, the band would raise their drinking horns to the crowd and sip the drink, they did this in all the cities except in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the venue asked the band not to have alcohol in the horns. The band thought it was ridiculous to drink water from the horns so Salt Lake City did not see those Vikings with their drinking horns on stage. - More info about Amon Amarth